Gas range



1933- c. H. HQFFSTETTEREI' L 1,922,586

\ GAS RANGE Filed Jan. 6, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIE-2 INVENTOR CHRL H-HUF'FS'TET'TER ROBERT F" HUF'F'S'TETTER V ATTORNEY c. H. HOFFSTETTER El AL 2,586

Aug. 15, 1933.

GAS RANGE Filed Jan. 6, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I II In. 4.. m"...

lNVENTOR L'HRL H- HOF'F'5T'E7TER ROBERT F- HUFFETETTER ATTO RN EY Patented Aug. 15, 1933 GAS RANGE Carl H. Hoffstetter and Robert F. Hoffstetter, Erie, Pa.

Application January 6, 1932. Serial No. 585,036

5 Claims.

This invention relates to certain improvements in gas ranges, and has for its general object the provision of means for readily raising or lowering the gas manifold and burners connected thereto, with respect to the top or cooking part of the range, thus adapting the latter for use with different gases.

Another object of the invention is to provide means in the form of a front plate, for concealing the manifold which permits of a constant secondary fresh air supply being admitted to the air and gas mixer, for aiding combustion and cooling the gas supplying valves.

It is well known that in recent years bottled gas has come into wide use, particularly in rural districts, or localities too remote for economical servicing with artificial or natural gases by utility companies. As bottled gas is confined under relatively high pressure, it must be used in the most economical form and manner, in order that it may be successfully competed with wood, coal, and other fuels common to such localities. Due to this high compression as well as'other characteristics of bottled gas it is essential that the burners in gas ranges or similarappliances, where intended for use in bottled gas communities, be placed much closer to the top of the stove or utensil seated thereon, than in the case of natural gas or artificial gas, in order to get the best results.

Therefore, in order to make it unnecessary for the dealer to carry a line of ranges especially for bottled gas communities, the range must be so constructed that the dealer can with little or no expense or servicing adapt the natural and artificial gas range for bottled gas use. However, this problem presented many difficulties due to the fact that a front plate is generally employed for concealing the manifold from view, and as the gas valve stems must project through this plate into position for convenient manipulation, and are connected to the manifold, adjustment of the latter obviously is complicated by the presence of this plate. I

According to the present invention a specially constructed reversible front plate having a row of longitudinally disposed openings therein, preferably adjacent the lower edge of the plate for the reception of gas valve stems is employed, which plate co-acts with manifold supporting means on the inside of the front frame of the stove to the end that the manifold may be adjusted to and supported in desired position. Before the range leaves the factory the manifold will be set or adjusted for use withnatural or artificial gas, in which position the valve stems will register with and pass through the openings in the front plate. But should the dealer desire to convert the range to bottled gas use he will adjust the manifold to a higher level, and invert the front plate, thus in effect elevating the open- 0 ings to a position at the top of the front plate and into alignment with the valve stems, which have been elevated with the manifold.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification Figure 1 is a perspective view 5 of a gas range embodying means for raising or lowering the gas manifold and burners connected thereto. Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan elevation of the gas range shown in Figure 1, having its burner part openly exposed. Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 3--3 of Figure 2showing the burners of the range adjusted to a position for burning natural gas. Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the burners adjusted to a position for burning artificial or bottled gas. Figure 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Figure 3 and Figure 6 a sectional view on line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates the burner portion and 2 the oven portion of a gas range. A preferably cast front frame 3 is provided with drawer openings 4 and 5 and a tray opening 6, while an ornamental front plate 7 covers an opening 8 at the top of the frame and hides the gas manifold 9 from view.

Manifold 9 is clamped between and supported by a pair of bracket members 10 integrally formed upon or attached to the inner face of the top portion of the front frame 3, and a second pair of complemental bracket members 11 secured to the members 10 by headed bolts 12. These respective bracket members are bent or otherwise formed to provide oppositely disposed stepped seats or recessed portions l3--14 and l516 respectively, of a shape to snugly rece ve and permit of the manifold being tightly gripped when the nuts 1'7 are screwed home on bolts 12. Normally the 100 manifold will be clamped between the lowermost seats or recessed portions 14 and 16 of the respective bracket members.

Four burners 19 of conventional type are preferably employed, two front and tworear, each 105 mounted upon the rear end of a gas and air mixing chamber 20. The front burners rest upon the mixing chambers of the real burners, and the rear burners which are integrally formed on the rear end of their respective mixing chambers, rest 110 upon a bracket not shown, in turn supported at its ends on the stove frame. Gas is fed to the manifold from any suitable source of supply,

not shown, through a gas line 23, and thence through gas control valves 24 to the respective gas and air mixing chambers 20, These valves depend from the manifold 9, and are formed with rearwardly extending nipples 25 which enter central openings 26 in the flared mouths 27 of the respective mixing chambers and serve to support the latter. Admission of air to the mixing' chambers is controlled by means of a regulator or shutter 28. The stems 29 of valves 24 project forwardly through the front plate '7 and are provided at their ends with the usual removable handles 30.

Front plate '7, as previously stated, closes the opening 8 in front frame 3 and conceals the manlfold and valves, thus enhancing the general appearance of the range. This plate is secured in place by means of screws 31, thus permitting ready access to the manifold valves and other parts for repair or exchange purposes. It is also essential that a supply of fresh air be constantly supplied to the mixing chamber 20. Thus, the plate 7 is formed with a plurality of symmetrically and attractively arranged perforations 32 through which the air may freely flow to the air and gas mixers. Certain of these perforations are in the form of substantially round openings arranged in parallel longitudinally disposed rows 34 and 35, the openings of one row being preferably staggered with respect to the other row. Valve stems 29 extend outwardly through certain of the openings 33 of row 34, irrespective of whether the manifold has been adjusted for use with artificial and natural gas or bottled gas.

Adjustment of the manifold from the normal remote or lowered position which it occupies with respect to the top of the range, when leaving the factory, is effected by first removing the front plate 7, then removing the bolts 12 and raising the manifold to its upper seats 13 and 15 on the respective bracket members 10 and 11. Plate 7 is then inverted and placed over opening 8 whereupon the row 34 of openings 33 will in effect, be elevated to the longitudinal position adjacent the top of the stove, illustrated in Fig. 6, as distinguished from their former position adjacent the bottom of opening 8, as shown in Figure 5. Openings 33 in row 34 will still be aligned with and in position to accommodate the previously raised valve stems 29, which project loosely therethrough, but of course the same holes in the row will not beoccupied by the same valve stems in both positions. The valves are so spaced on the manifold and with respect to each other that in either position of the plate '7, the valve stems will align with certain of the openings 33 in row 34.

For the purpose of enhancing the appearance of the plate, the row 34 of openings 33 is supplemented by the intermediate row 35 and a normally top row of sham openings 37 is also provided. The various openings and sham openings are in staggered relation one to the other, according to a predetermined definite ornamental design. The openings 33 in row 35 are of a size and so positioned with respect to the enlarged mouths 38 of the air and gas mixers that a supply of fresh air will always be directed into the mixers, thus supplementing the air passing through the openings of row 34, some of which latter are partially obstructed by the valve stems.

A name plate 39 is attached to the front plate 7, by means of readily removable fasteners 40, so that the name plate can be easily removed and inverted whenever the necessity arises for inverting the front plate.

What we claim is:

1. In a range having a cooking part, a manifold, burners and gas control valves therefor associated with said manifold, an invertible front plate for concealing said manifold from view, means for supporting the manifold and burners and gas valves in elevated and lowered positions with respect to the cooking top of the range, said plate having openings through which the stems of the gas valves extend when the manifold is in one adjusted position, said openings being so arranged that said stems will also project therethrough when the manifold is adjusted to a different position and said plate is inverted.

2. In a range having a cooking part, a manifold, burners and gas control valves therefor associated with said manifold, an invertible front plate for concealing said manifold from view, means for supporting the manifold and burners and gas valves in elevated and lowered positions with respect to the cooking top of the range, said plate having a row of openings offset with respect to the longitudinal axis of the plate, through which the stems of the gas valve extend when the manifold is in one adjusted position, and also project therethrough when the manifold is adjusted to a different position and said plate is inverted.

3. A'range, comprising a cooking section, a front frame for said section, a gas manifold and burners supported thereby, bracket arms for connecting the manifold to the front frame, said brackets having stepped portions whereby said manifold is adjustable to different heights with respect to the cooking top of the range.

4. A range, comprising a cooking section, a front frame for said section, a gas manifold and burners supported thereby, bracket arms for connecting the manifold to the front frame, said brackets having stepped portions whereby said manifold is adjustable to different heights with respect to the cooking top of the range, and a front plate for concealing said manifold from view.

5. A range, comprising a cooking section, a front frame for said section, a gas manifold, burners and control valves supported by said manifold, forwardly extending operating stems for said control valves, means for connecting the manifold to the front frame in elevated and lowered positions with respect to the top of the range, and a perforated front plate concealing said manifold from view, said plate being connected to said front frame and having said operating stems extending therethrough in elevated and lowered positions of said manifolds.

CARL H. HOFFSTETTER. ROBERT F. HOFFSTETTER. 

